English windsurfer, Emma Wilson will return to the waters at the Musto iQFOiL World Championships 2026, where she hopes to defend her title and build momentum for the Olympic Games in LA. But while Wilson makes iQFOiL windsurfing look like a breeze, torn ligaments and broken bones tell a different story.
In an exclusive chat with M&F Hers, the fit female and her coach explain why she’s been leaning into lower body work as part of her prep, and why injury prevention is paramount for keeping her head above water.
“It’s a full body experience,” says Wilson of being a Bonafide warrior of the waves. “I guess that’s why we go to the gym so much as well.” Indeed, gym work may provide a critical base for building muscle and strength, but another key component of resistance training is how it supports injury prevention—a subject that Wilson knows only too well. “You need to be really fit,” says the sailor. “It’s like a balance between getting strong and heavy, but also you’ve got to be able to pump and go max heart rate, every race.” Pumping the sail when winds are light puts a serious strain on the limbs, however, and Wilson has torn ligaments in her forearms as a result. “I was super lucky with the surgery both times,” she explains, proving so by returning to the water with little off.
Back in 2022, Wilson competed with a broken toe and even made it to fourth place at that year’s World Championships. But having taken the title in 2025, Wilson is following her coach’s advice to maintain her winning ways. “Emma has been working really hard in the gym in the lead up to these world championships,” says GB Sailing’s strength and conditioning lead, Will Barnes.
What is iQFOiL Windsurfing?
iQFOiL is a faster version of Olympic windsurfing, first introduced by World Sailing at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The iQFOiL windsurf board utilize hydrofoil technology, meaning that when the conditions are right, the entire board lifts out of the water. With less wind drag, iQFOiL windsurfers hit speeds of 35 knots (40 mph).
To claim victory in Weymouth, surfers will be required to navigate a multi-stage race and finish in the top ten by the end of the qualifying stage. The finalists will then compete in a single day elimination series to determine the 2026 iQFOiL World Champion.
How Emma Wilson Has Trained For the 2026 iQFOiL World Championships
“Her primary focus has been to increase the strength in her lower body,” explains coach Barnes. “In a typical session Emma will complete a bilateral exercise like a leg press and then a unilateral exercise, for example a split squat into hip thrusts. I can guarantee there a very few athletes out there who are able to do all that and still go out on the water for hours of pumping that same day!”
While Wilson has been building her foundation, she hasn’t neglected the rest of her body, particularly her arms. “The main focus in the gym after these surgeries is making sure Emma’s grip is as strong as possible in order to limit the strain of gripping onto the boom on water,” explains Barnes, pointing out that the GB sail athletes are also supported by a team of physiotherapists. “All our IQ athletes have put so much work in this past year, and I’ve never seen them so locked in,” says the coach. “I’m incredibly proud of all of them and can’t wait to see them show the rest of the world what they are capable of once again.”
For Wilson, physiotherapy has been an important part of the recovery process, but she adds that sleep is very underrated. “If I get a good night’s sleep, I’m perfect. And, if I don’t, I’m so grumpy,” she jokes. Of course, being out in the water with the wind on your face is certain to encourage some sound sleep. “You get back home, and you’re exhausted anyway,” she shares. “I do some stretching, and then I go to bed.”
Emma Wilson’s Career Highlights
- 2-time Youth Sailing world champion
- 2-time Olympic Games bronze medalist
- 2025 iQFOiL Women’s world champion
With two Olympic Bronze medals behind her, a World Championship in the bag, and a second shot at the World title now underway, Wilson is looking ahead to Los Angeles without taking her eyes off the current wave that she’s riding. “I’m super excited,” she tells M&F Hers. “Having the World Championships at home this year, for me, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
The iQFOiL World Championships take place in Weymouth, England on September 4 to 12, 2026. For more information click here.
To follow Emma Wilson on Instagram, click here.
